Industrial ambulance



lSlept. 22, 1936. G. FoRDHAM INDUSTRIAL AMBULANGE 2 Sheets-Sheety l Filed May f2.,A 1956 Sept. 22, 1936. G. FoRDHAM y INDUSTRIAL AMBULANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 2, 1936 A I I I Il Patented Sept. 22, 1936 PATENT OFFICE l f ,y l mnusrniAL AMBULANCE f George Fordham, Powel'lton, `W. Va. y A1piiantnivray .2, 19st, serial N0.77,5s1 f5lc1aims. f (01.'105-212) i This invention relatesto ambulances and more specicallyfto selig-propelled` industriall `ambulances particularly adapted to usein mines. l

Among the-objects ef the'invention is the provision of an ambulance car designed to permit transportation of'` patients comfortably-from a scene of'accidentor treatment within. themine,

to theexteriorthereoi. l

The invention'alsol considers a maximum ease of ridingfrom points Within thei'rrineV to Va hospitalambulance outside, and to this end means are provided whereby the patient on a stretcher, does not have to be transferred from the stretcher from the time he leaves the scexrenuntibhear- Another object contemplates adesign ofaampbulance, car Vin which the means -of transportai tiony isA a self-contained. unait; both; from; Itransportation, andfffpatient `treatments.zstanclpoints.

. The `carisprovidedwith itsown driving motor ,whereby any point the mineL canbe reached very readily; it is also pravided'withmeans -for heating the car beneathand adjacent the stretch- :en to assisti-in--treating shocktand-so that, the patient-rWillnotsuiier from coldl;,1and,it is arranged to carry in conve 'ent andaccessiblelocations, all necessary -flrstiaid ,material-r and `supplies, e. g., :back Ysplintsnare carried so that the ,patientr cari-bel properly splinted-.and possible in- 1.11m wth-espinal 90rd rsdi1 1e0l:.f...-y

Theinvention further ccntempl tes use of a l Small, ambelaeeevear Whichmay .bef- Coupled tota Conventieeal meter Car; used inf-a mine, and taken to any desired. Apelin-t,',arr-.eztra bo-x -forirstaidw-material being located on the s` ambulance in nthe space normally occupied by a motor.

In all forms of the invention, fastenings are provided for the stretcher handles to prevent shifting or displacement of the stretcher in case of derailment, and coil springs are used to' absorb shock and increase the comfort of riding. Means are also provided to secure the car to the track and prevent movement while loading or unloading the patient.

To the attainment of the foregoing and other objects, Which Will appear as the description proceeds, reference may be made to the accompanying drawings, in whichr- Fig. 1 is an elevation in perspective of the ambulance car complete, except for the stretcher;

` Fig. 2is a fragmentary elevation of the upper "or stretcher frame of the car `with a stretcher in position thereon; i

LFig. 3 is a fragmentary elevation showing a lbuilt-in motor drive von a self-propelled car;

l Fig. 4 is an elevationof a rail grab used for 'clamping the carto the track,vthe grab being shown open; and Y y Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the grab closed 1 about a rail of the track. "Referring now particularly to the drawings in=which like reference numerals designate like parts, there is illustrated an ambulance. car having a mainframe or chassis I0 upon which` is` mounted an auxiliary skeletonv body or stretcher work I I and; serve to prevent side-sway and maintain the normal relationship between the chassis and superstructure.

A trolley pole I6 serves to. conduct current from a. conventional available source, as the trol- Y:ley I1, to an electric motor |33, preferably enclosed in a metal grill or housing I9 at oneend f of the car. as by a chain drive 20, to the wheels 2 I, illustrated The. motor I8 is suitably connected,

Vin the, present embodiment as of the flanged type,

"for use on trackage or rails 22. v If desired, a sheet iron chain guard 28av maybe provided.`

y, V A rail grabor wheelscotch `23"may be utilizedl to secure the car against movement during loading or unloading thereof, and as illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, this grab comprises a chain 24 secured to the chassis of the car, and a pair of tongs 25 arranged to grab the upper ange of the track rail 22. A collar 26, encircling the chain 24 may be slipped down and over the pivoted ends of the tongs 25 to secure same together.

Where the mine trackage is sufficient and a self-propelled car can be used, a small headlight 21 may be provided at either or both ends of the car. For mines that do not have a great amount of trackage, the car may be used without its own motor, and can becoupled to any gathering motor vehicle in the mine, to be taken to a scene of accident. For this purpose a coupling 28 may be provided at'each end of the car. In fact, under these conditions, a smaller, lighter car may be used.

The superstructure or stretcher frame I I of the car is particularly designed to receive and adjustably accommodate a stretcher, and to this end is constructed with a built-in cross bar 29, which is notched as at 3D to receive the ends of the stretcher handles, chains 3| being provided to secure the handles in place. A second cross bar 32 is built in adjacent the bar 29, in such a position that the ends of the stretcher handles, when positioned in the notches 30, may abut thereagainst, and the stretcher thus prevented from sliding lengthwise of the car.

At the opposite endv of the car the Vsuperstructure frame terminates in an adjustable support 33, formed by extensions of the superstructure, pivoted at points 34, and connected by a notched cross bar 35 which serves to brace the extension members. The notches 30a of the bar 35, and

chains 3Ia cooperative therewith, are inV all re-VV spects similar to the notches 30' and chains ,3l

on the bar 29, as previously described.

y Braces 36 extending from the end of the ad- Vvent injuries to the spinal column.'

- .In order to treat shock and also prevent the patient from suffering with cold, suitable heating means, illustrated herein as resistance heaters 39, `may be located at suitable points where they will do the most good. Preferably, they are located beneath and adjacent the stretcher.

From the foregoing description, the operation and advantages of the invention Will be readily apparent. Y As shown in Fig. 2, the stretcher 40 will be placed with its handles 4I and 42 in the notches 30 Vand 30a, respectively, andthe adjustable support 33 positioned at proper elevation. As the support 33 is adjusted, the stretcher 40 parvtakes of a gradual inclination. Now with the motor attached, any point in the mine can be reached very readilyV and a patient placed on the stretcher, from which he does not have to be transferred, until arrival at the hospital, as the stretcher can be removed from the mine car and yplaced in any stretcher conveyance or hospital ambulance outside of the mine. Because of the resilient mounting of the superstructure, the

' patient is spared shock and jars incident to movement of the mine car over the rails.

Inasmuch as all necessary first aid material and means of transportation is carried on the car, same will function as an ambulance, independentlyof any other transportation, although as stated, in small mines the car can be coupled to any suitable motor driven vehicle, or driving medium. The cross rails 29 and 35, together with their notches will, of course, be so proportioned and located relative to each other as to accommodate any standard stretcher equipment.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:-

1. An ambulance car comprising a Wheeled chassis, a stretcher frame supported in spaced relation thereto, means on saidstretcher frame to support and secure a stretcher in predetermined location on said frame, and means at one end of the chassis to adjust the height of that end of the stretcher with respect to the chassis, said chassis being constructed with a built-in compartment beneath and adjacent said adjusting means.

g 2. An industrial mine car comprising a wheeled chassis,'a stretcher frame resiliently supported in spaced relation thereto, means to prevent relative side swaybetween said frame and chassis, means on said stretcher frameto support and secure a stretcher in predetermined location with respect to the stretcher frame, and means to adjust and fix'the position of the stretcher on the car.

3. An industrial mine car comprising a Wheeled chassis, a stretcher frame resiliently supported in spaced relation thereto, means to prevent relative side sway between saidframe and chassis, means on said stretcherv frame to support and secure a stretcher in predetermined location with respect vto the stretcher frame, and means on said frame to vary the height and slope of the stretcher in the car. f

4. An industrial mine car comprising a Wheeled chassis, a stretcher frame resiliently supported in spaced relation thereto, said stretcher frame having aplvoted extensionlat one end, means to adjust the position of said extension to different elevations, vand means on said frame and said adjustable extensionl to secure a stretcher in predeterminated position on the car.

5. An ambulance carv comprising a wheeled chassis, astretcher frame resiliently supported in spaced relation thereto,- said stretcher frame having a pivoted extension at one end, means to adjust the position of` said extension to diierent elevations, means on said frame and said adjustable extension to secure a stretcher in predeterminated position on the car, said chassis being provided with a heating means, a built-in compartment and a driving means beneath' the stretcher and Within the area encompassed by the stretcher frame. f v Y GEORGE FORDHAM. 

